ESPN James Patrick Film

[Dr Z]

ESPN is showing a film Saturday night at 9 pm that might interest some.

Running back Maurice Clarett and head coach Jim Tressel were both essential centerpieces during the 2002 season — the new film “Youngstown Boys” focuses on how different the city of Youngstown was for both of them, and how their relationship would develop and continue to the present day.

Wonder if Willis McGahee will watch?

More on the Special Here

[LZIp]

I'm sure UA will get a shoutout

[Dr Z]

Plain Dealer Screening By Doug Lesmerises, Northeast Ohio Media Group

I asked Tressel before the screening if he thought the end result was a fair and accurate portrayal. He thought it was. He also said that didn't mean it was easy to watch.

[Dr Z]

Anybody watch? Very well done IMO. Must see for those of us from the Valley.

I didn't know about Clarett's relationship with Hai Waknine (an Israeli mobster.)

General information on Ray Isaac and Mickey Monus when JT was at YSU (for those not familiar with the case).

I wish they would have covered in some detail how Clarett ended up going to Warren Harding. I know the story, but wanted to hear it from his mom, who was surprisingly good in the film.

[LZIp]

I thought it was good. Andy Geiger came off as a true piece of scum who railroaded Clarett out of OSU, though I dont think Clarett should have got Jim Brown involved (not to mention Jesse freaking Jackson).

Last little bit of Tressel talk at the end makes me think he is done with coaching. I'm sure the haters will poke their heads in here, but everything I see from him really makes me think he is a great person. Not perfect, obviously, but somebody who really cares about other people. The doc didn't change my opinion, just reinforces it.

And one last thing- I think it would be awesome if Bowden did at Akron what Tressel did a YSU (focus hard on the area talent). I believe the doc said the attendance went from something like 2200 a game to 22000 a game after Tressel started focusing on the Youngstown kids.

[Dr Z]

I'm guessing from the lack of comments most didn't watch. Kevin McFarland writes a review and gives the film an A minus. I would agree.

Due to the lack of comments here, I actually went searching on a Columbus forum for comments. If you dig through 95 percent of the typical honk comments (most of them didn't watch either, GP1 Columbus paranoia theory), there are a few good observations. Don't worry, I took a hot shower after.

If you missed, I would assume the film hits youtube in a couple of weeks like most of the 30 for 30 films.

Urban Myers gets into the story.

Clarett did the film because he like the way they told the story.

Difference between the way he and LBJ handled early life.

[GP1]

I saw this for the first time last night.

I didn't walk away from the film with the notion that there was some sort of great connection between Tressel and mc other than both being from the Youngstown area, even though Tressel grew up in a Cleveland suburb. Seems that connection is blown out of proportion and has always been blown out of proportion.

For whatever reason, they try to paint mc as a sympathetic character during his time in Columbus. In my opinion, osu running away from him was the best thing they could have done and it had nothing to do with his wanting to be one and done. Bringing in Jim Brown only makes matters worse and I think the film overstates Browns importance in the minds of Ohioans. mc was hated by the assistants on the osu coaching staff because he was the ahole in Columbus he was with the Broncos. Not everyone can be helped and he was one of those cases at the time. His presence would have been more harm than good for tosu.

mc did his time and is trying to make the best of his life. The NFL didn't work out and maybe it might never have worked out for a long time given his lack of speed. He was fast against Big Ten players, but that doesn't compare to what goes on each Sunday. Prison is theoretically designed to do many things. Mostly is punishes people and since most people are going to get out at some point, that is terrible for society. On some level for mc, it functioned as it is ideally supposed to function, rehabilitation. By "on some level" I mean, he was thrown in a cell and rehabilitated himself with little help from anyone. Long term, he will be fine and may be a better person. It is what we should hope for for everyone.

[Dr Z]

Will Allen, who played with Clarett at OSU, enjoyed the piece. "It was the best one," said Allen, about the 30 for 30 series. "It was so raw. It was so real. It told a true story about real life from a deep standpoint. People have an affinity with OSU and they had an affinity with Maurice Clarett, but no one knew the true story. It was eye opening for me."

Eye opening for a guy that played with him?!? Wow.

Source: Plain Dealer

[GP1]

Eye opening for a guy that played with him?!? Wow.

I'm not shocked. Most fans would be surprised at how little real closeness there is between players on an 85 man roster. Most guys have 5-6 people they would consider close friends and the rest are just guys on the team.

I would go as far as to say many guys are closer with more guys from their team after they graduate than when they played. Football is such a shallow connection in reality and after school, former players get to know a lot more about each other personally once that football layer is removed. Think about how better the relationship between MC and Will Allen could be now that more is know about each other on a personal level.